Humidifier for heating plants



April 1941- R. H. GATES 2,238,108

HUMIDIFIER FOR HEATING PLANTS Filed May l5, 1939 INVENTOR Rafa/.5 6472s ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1941 2,238,108

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,238,108 HUMIDIFIER FOR HEATING PLANTS Rufus H. Gates, Kansas City, Mo. Application May 15, 1939, Serial No. 273,757 8 Claims. (01. 126-350) This invention relates to automatic humidifiers ate during the time that the gas burner within for heating systems and particularly domestic the furnace is heating the air therein.

heating plants in the nature of hot air furnaces Boiler i2 is equipped with a burner 14, fuel or similar installations where air is forced from to which is supplied through a branch pipe I6 the plant into the rooms. connected to supply pipe 8 at a point to one One of the important aims of the present inside of valve i0, Thus, when the burner in the vention is to provide a humidifier that is attachfurnace is heating the air, burner M in boiler l2 able to the conventional form of heating plant will be generating steam for introduction into and which comprises a boiler wherein is produced the heated air prior to its leaving jacket 6 of the steam that is introduced into the hot air prior to 10 furnace. its entrance into the room being heated, the A pilot burner l8 located adjacent to burner b e h vin associated therewith, a low l4 insures that the latter will operate whenever p tur r s v r t houses a valve, the openvalve In is open. Boiler I2 is divided by a partiing and closing of which is controlled by the level t 20 th t f rm the upper wall of a fire box of the water in the boiler. 22, from h1 d flue 24,

A y further j t of this invention is to A water compartment 26 in boiler l2 has the provide a humidifier of the immediately foreupper portion thereof joined to jacket 6 by pipe oin char cter havi u quely nte c 28, the specific form of which is that of an elbow means between the reservoir and boiler, said or a 45 t A a k t 30 serves t mount, means cr t n a Water p or seal w n t boiler l2 to the outside of jacket 6 and. pipe 28 is two Water containing tanks so that steam created placed t communication ith the interior of in the boiler cannot reach the water control valve jacket 6 by merely cutting a t m opening in to cause a detrimental action thereon due to inthe metal forming d jacket crustat on a t D h A low temperature reservoir 32 of relatively A further obiect of this invention is to provide Small capacity is placed in jde by-Side am-J a humidifier for heating plants that is cheap to with boner |z A cap 34 covers the open top of manufacture, positive in its action, easy to apply reservoir 32 and a series f fingers 36 Support to conventional heating equipment, and requires cap 34 in spaced remtion to the upper annular no attention as it efficiently operates. edge of the reservoir,

Further objects of the invention will appear Water supply pipe 38 ends at Valve 40 Within during the Course of the ffnowing specificatiqn reservoir 32 and this valve 40 is connected to Telahng to the accomphnymg h h h float 42 by a specially formed arm 44 that extends but the Preferred embodunent of the mventlon 15 through inclined neck 46. Neck 46 extends downmusftmtedlfiamd W i 1 f h wardly and outwardly from boiler l2 and this Flgure 1s a s1 6 9 0 mg specific form of neck creates a water trap be- Qlant havlpg a hllmldlfier embodymg thls mven" tween boiler l2 and reservoir 32 when the water non assoclated tnerewlth' level in both of the tanks is maintained at a 1 i j i 3 ?ii ifi ggg gi l a ggi place where the invention contemplates such level must be and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view comptnges plunger i 1s of the boiler illustrating the manner in which Puma y an move y ever i the same is attached to the furnace. one end wtnch attached. to arm Arm Conventional hot air furnaces or heating plants 44 has an inclined central portion therein to pass of the type where air is forced into the room, inth g and an offset pgrtwn 52 Whlch eludes an outer jacket 6 which houses all of the Joms float welhknown parts of the fu na e and Within After the humidifier has been installed the which is created a chamber forming the point of Valve 15 5? so that Y h the float drop? below origin of the air which should be humidified prior that Poslhon shown In Valve 40 W111 Open and empty an additional supply of water into to its introduction into the living quarters.

reservoir 32. As reservoir 32 fills, water will flow In the instance illustrated, the furnace is one which empwys gas burner and t upply of into boiler l2 through inclined neck 46 until the fue1 t r pipe 3 having th thermostatically level of the water in the boiler is again raised to controlled alve [0 interposed therein, The that illustrated. When this level is reached, float humidifier which includesaboiler l2 should open 55 42 will exert an upward force on arm 44 and close valve 4!! seat.

As steam is generated from water within boiler I2, it will escape into jacket 6 and there be joined by the heated air that is passing from the furnace. This steam cannot pass into reservoir 32 because of the presence of water trap in the inclined neck 46. The water in reservoir 32 cannot be heated by burner l4 because the two bodies of water in boiler and reservoir I2 and 32 respectively, are completely separated and distinct from each other. This is an important factor in constructing the humidifier and when such arrangement is followed, valve 40 is protected and incrustation due to the production of solids when water is heated, does not occur.

In the event valve 40 becomes inoperative by sticking or because of some defect, water within reservoir 32 cannot reach the hot metal parts within the furnace due to the presence of the overflow outlet which is created between cap 34 and the upper edge of reservoir 32. When the water level rises to the upper edge of reservoir 32 it will flow therefrom and since the level of this said reservoir is below the opening into jacket 6 through which pipe 28 passes, there is no opportunity for water to enter the furnace and exert its destructive forces upon hot metal.

To avoid the relatively cool water from reservoir 32 having a detrimental effect upon the steam generated in boiler IE, it is desirable to introduce said water into the boiler adjacent the bottom thereof.

A partition 60 secured to the side of boiler l2 forms a well of small cross sectional area. This well extends from a point where neck ii; joins boiler IE to a place adjacent to the bottom of boiler 52 and below the normal level of the water in said boiler. Such construction is desirable because the surface of the water in boiler l2 and the steam present in the upper portion thereof, is not effected by cool water from reservoir 32.

From the foregoing, one skilled in the art will observe that the humidifier automatically operates. The size of burner it, the capacity of boiler i2, and the relation of water supply parts, may be altered to suit conditions met when different size heating plants are to be equipped with this humidifier. It is conceivable that automatic humidifiers embodying the instant invention may be made to present different physical characteristics than those illustrated and described, and it is therefore desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Le ters Patent is:

1. A humidifier for heating plants comprising a low temperature reservoir; a boiler having connection with the heating plant; a neck joining the reservoir and said boiler; a valve for controlling the flow of water into said low temperature reservoir positioned within the latter; a float in said boiler; and an arm operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said neck being formed to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler and to create a water trap therein whereby to preclude heating the water in the reservoir and to seal the reservoir against the entrance of steam from the said boiler.

2. A humidifier for heating plants comprising a low temperature reservoir; a boiler having connection with the heating plant; a neck joining the reservoir and said boiler; a valve for controlling the flow of water into said low temperature by moving plunger 48 against its reservoir positioned within the latter; a float in said boiler; and an arm operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said neck being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the boiler as it app-roaches the low temperature reservoir whereby to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler and to establish a water seal between the reservoir and said boiler.

3. A humidifier for heating plants comprising a low temperature reservoir; a boiler having connection with the heating plant; a neck joining the reservoir and said boiler; a valve for controlling the flow of water into said low temperature reservoir positioned within the latter; a float in said boiler; and an arm operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said neck being formed to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler and to create a water trap therein whereby to seal the reservoir against the entrance of steam from the said boiler, said arm being offset to join the float below the point of connection between the neck and said boiler.

4. A humidifier for heating plants comprising a low temperature reservoir; a boiler having connection with the heating plant; a neck joining the reservoir and said boiler; a valve for controlling the flow of water into said low temperature reservoir positioned within the latter; a float in said boiler; and an arm operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said float and valve being disposed and set respectively to maintain a water level in the boiler below nection between the neck and said boiler and to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler.

5. A humidifier for heating plants comprising a low temperature reservoir; a boiler having connection with the heating plant; a neck joining the reservoir and said boiler; a valve for controlling the flow of water into said low temperature reservoir positioned within the latter; a. float in said boiler; and an arm operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said neck being formed to maintain the water' in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler and to create a water trap therein whereby to seal the reservoir against the entrance of steam from the said boiler, said low temperature reservoir having overflow openings therein below the connection between said boiler and the heating plant.

6. A humidifier for furnaces or the like comprising a reservoir; a boiler to one side of the reservoir having a burner for heating Water -con tained therein; a pipe connecting the upper portion of the boiler and the furnace; an inclined neck joining the reservoir and said boiler, the point of connection between one end of the neck and the boiler being higher than the point of connection between the reservoir and the other end of the neck; a water supply valve in the reservoir; a float in the boiler; and an arm passing through the neck and operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said float and the valve being set to maintain the level of the water in said boiler below the level of the water in said reservoir and to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler, said neck joining the reservoir below the level of the water therein and having connection with the boiler above the level of the water in said boiler whereby to form a water seal between the tank and said boiler.

7. A humidifier for furnaces or the like comprising a reservoir; a boiler to one side of the reservoir having a burner for heating water contained therein; a pipe connecting the upper portion of the boiler and the furnace; an inclined neck joining the reservoir and said boiler, the point of connection between one end of the neck and the boiler being higher than the point of connection between the reservoir and the other end of the neck; a water supply valve in the reservoir; a float in the boiler; and an arm passing through the neck and operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said float and the valve being set to maintain the level of the water in said boiler below the level of the water in said reservoir and to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler, said neck joining the reservoir below the level of the Water therein and having connection with the boiler above the level of the Water in said boiler whereby to form a water seal between the tank and said boiler, said reservoir having an overflow outlet formed therein above the normal level of water in said reservoir and below the point of connection between the furnace and the pipe.

8. A humidifier for furnacesorthelike comprisingareservoir; a boiler to one side of the reservoir havingaburnerforheating water contained therein; a pipe connecting the upper portion of the boiler and the furnace; an inclined neck joining the reservoir and said boiler, the point of connection between one end of the neck and the boiler being higher than the point of connection between the reservoir and the other end of the neck; a water supply valve in the reservoir; a float in the boiler; and an arm passing through the neck and operably interconnecting the valve and said float, said float and the valve being set to maintain the level of the water in said boiler below the level of the water in said reservoir and to maintain the water in the reservoir separate from that in the boiler, said neck joining the reservoir below the level of the water therein and having connection with the boiler above the level of the water in said boiler whereby to form a water seal between the tank and said boiler, said boiler having a well formed therein along one side extending downwardly from the point of connection between the neck and the boiler to a point to the bottom of the boiler and below the normal level of the water therein.

RUFUS H. GATES. 

